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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25164115">Pale Repetition Among Time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/IffyWolf/pseuds/thara'>thara (IffyWolf)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Bleach</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Android Kurosaki Ichigo, Androids, Detective Grimmjow, GrimmIchiServerEnablers, M/M, detroit: become human au, this will contain angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:08:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,818</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25164115</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/IffyWolf/pseuds/thara</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Cases of deviant androids are rising and Grimmjow is the one stuck with the investigation, along with a partner he didn’t think he needed. Everyone has issues as it is, and android detective Ichigo is more than what CyberSociety intended him to be, more, even, than what Grimmjow would ever expect him to be. A Detroit: Become Human AU.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Grimmjow Jaegerjaques/Kurosaki Ichigo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Pale Repetition Among Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/sayhitoforever/gifts">sayhitoforever</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I will tag appropriately as the story goes along, and write notes for each chapter, so please be aware!</p>
<p>This is for all the grimmichi discord server enablers, every last one of you who encouraged me to write and especially the amazing Hito because she bribed me to write this. Thank you so much to Kuri, Saramir and Mothwood for helping me beta-ing this and for all their suggestions. *sobs* I will try my best to groom this baby.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He leans back in the chair and stares up at the clock, the loud ticking grating his ears and he wonders how no one else ever seems to be annoyed by it. Tick, tick, tick, obnoxious and unrelenting, every time he enters the office. It has been there for years, even before it became Nelliel’s official abode. He can’t believe she has never replaced it. The skip of the hand on each second is hypnotizing and he wonders if it gets louder when it gets near lunch time because it sounds like it to his ears.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>A pointed and reprimanding cough drags his attention back to the woman in front of him. Her green eyes are a storm of quiet anger.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You weren't even listening to me, were you?" He didn’t need to listen. He has heard it enough times that he could probably recite her exactly. Sometimes things get out of hand; it happens. "You don't want to talk about it, fine. Just do your job. I'm giving you the android cases for now." She slides an envelope across the desk to him and pointedly taps on it with her finger before she retreats. The white of the envelope is a stark contrast to the black access card number printed neat on it. He looks up at her and scowls at her calm expression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Now you're just doing this on purpose." Nobody wants the android cases. None of them are exactly familiar with the technology aside from general public knowledge, and the cases mostly just involve broken machines. Beginner stuff. He knows she probably has a good reason to change the cases he usually gets. He knows she wouldn’t actively try to undermine him and yet the urge to lash out claws at the inside of his ribs, unwelcomed and not entirely unfamiliar. He forces himself to take a calming breath, in and out, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. The bruises and cuts on his knuckles give a soft whisper of pain at the pull. "You can give me better than android cases, Nel."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Captain Nel.” The reprimand is offhand, a reminder of the social construct they are obligated to conform to while in their workplace. “And I'm really not. This isn’t the typical lost android schtick that CyberSociety can just deal with anymore. There are reports of assaults and a man is dead. This is getting out of hand and you're one of my best lieutenants, Grimmjow. I need you on this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The mention of death stops Grimmjow in his tracks, a small, subtle flick of his eyes to the case envelope that he refuses to acknowledge. The assignment doesn’t seem as patronizing when it was worded the way that she did, he must admit. It might even be an interesting challenge if they are talking about homicides as well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And I know you need it too.” She says pointedly and it almost sours his mood again. But it is her next sentence that will wane what little excitement he had built up a few seconds ago. “Although, I am assigning you with a new partner, so you better suck it up." She picks up her coffee and waves someone in. "This is Ichigo." Even with her face covered as she indulgently takes her sip of coffee, he can tell her eyes are smug. The kind of eyes she makes at him when they hang out at clubs and someone catches his attention, the kind that makes him slightly question her position of power as he hears the office door open and close.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The soft tapping of shoes drifts closer as a figure walks in and comes to a stop next to his captain. Grimmjow’s eyes inevitably look away from her and up to big brown eyes and a shock of orange hair. The sway of fringe a soft contrast to the hard look in the eyes that stares unflinchingly back at him. He curses the sudden awareness of everything that assaults him. Distantly he hears Nel finishing her drink and while he knows that she is the one gulping down the black liquid, he can’t help but feel like it is his morning coffee that is trying to climb back up his throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hello. I’m Ichigo. I’m the android sent by CyberSociety.” A small smile, but big enough for him to notice. “I’m here to assist with the android investigations." The introduction is accompanied with an eager offer of a handshake, but Grimmjow is too busy trying to comprehend what he is looking at and deciding on how to handle what he feels about it. Mainly on the issue that apparently, they make them in his type as well. And how alarming it is that he almost disregarded the fact that what he is looking at is just an artificial intelligence with a face.</span>
</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He is a new android prototype. A detective assistant of sorts, and he’ll be actively participating in your investigation." Nel chips in as the android retreats his unshaken hand, somehow managing to look awkward in the process. Grimmjow looks back at his captain and scowls. The creeping feeling of being patronized rapidly clawing at him again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No." Grimmjow glares across the desk at the orange fluff of hair as he stands, the scrape of the chair harsh and heavy, before taking the case envelope from Nel's desk regardless of his disagreement with the partnership. His boss sighs before moving to put down her cup of coffee.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You don't have a say in this, Grimmjow. Work with him or you're off the case. And if you aren’t working cases you might as well turn in your badge. As much as I love you, I can’t keep having your back all the time." She turns her attention to the android standing serenely by her side. The blue LED light on the right of his temple and the android uniform are a beaming indication of his non-human status despite his remarkably human appearance. "This is Lieutenant Jaegerjaquez. He'll be your partner for the foreseeable future."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The android blinks and gives him a polite smile with a tilt of his head, like it was supposed to be good news when it really doesn’t sound like it to Grimmjow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have been briefed by my handler, yes.” One side of his smile tugs softly wider, an unexpected glimpse of teeth, an interestingly sharp canine. “It is nice to finally meet you.” He glances at Nelliel before looking back at him and Grimmjow is hit with the strangest feeling that the android is being cheeky with him. While he usually trusts his instincts, it feels strange and misplaced to think that way of an android.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I thought you said it's just for the android case." He looks back at the green-haired captain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No, I did not say that. Besides, I can't just let the android work alone, can I? So, accept your fate since you're the only asshat here not buried in paperwork. Plus, with the way you’re acting lately, I'm definitely not letting you work without a partner either." She waves her hand dismissively. "Run along now."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Grimmjow grits his teeth and gives one final glare at them both before storming out of Nel's office. He begrudgingly accepts his assignment, mulling over how his new ‘partner’ better not get in the way of his investigation. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What kind of assholes design a detective android with glaringly orange hair anyway? They didn’t need to be built that attractive, either. Probably robot fuckers, the lot of them.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>His chair welcomes him like an old friend with a subtle but cheerful creak as he takes his seat and opens his terminal. He takes the access card envelope and scans it, not even bothering to take the card out before inserting his password and pulling up the case files. He is only on his first sentence when he hears someone coming to a stand behind him, just slightly off his right shoulder, his peripheral vision hinting that his new partner might have a habit of creeping up on people. He decides to ignore him and scans the reports, no harm about the android seeing it as well after all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Malfunctions, disobeying commands, down to outright assaults... It doesn’t seem like there is any obvious pattern to the cases, even the android models and types are different. The reports are also so clinical to the point that he will not be surprised if they were written by one of the androids they have working for the department. He skims what is probably the last and latest case report and pauses at the change in narrative. The android’s motive. That was never focused on, hell, it wasn’t even considered in the previous ones.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He rereads the case, a homicide and hostage situation, paying slightly more attention to the details this time and realises that his new partner was involved in the negotiation with the perpetrator.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t seem to like the idea of having me as your partner.” The android starts as he reaches the end of the report, almost as if he had been politely waiting for Grimmjow to finish reading the files before speaking, which, Grimmjow guesses, he probably was. The lieutenant looks back at the android, who seems to be pausing for his words, and yet strangely, his LED remains blue and calm instead of the yellow light androids tend to emit when processing. “I’m sorry about any inconvenience you may feel about our arrangement, but I hope we can work together well enough to accomplish my mission and solve the investigations.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Grimmjow raises his eyebrows and grins malevolently at the android, one of his hands reaching to grab the back of his chair, his scraped knuckles on display. “Don’t worry. I can play nice.” He isn’t a complete brute, after all, even if some people see him that way. Ichigo blinks at him, a quick glance at his knuckles that Grimmjow manages to catch, only because he was looking for it, before the android looks back at the lieutenant steadily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The stir of interest Grimmjow feels is odd but he is never one to curb his instincts, even if not all of them are for public disclosure. He may not be the biggest fan of androids, but even the limited amount of interactions he’s had with them feels different than it does with Ichigo, somehow. His gut tells him to be wary of the android, despite his seemingly harmless appearance. The file mentioned that Ichigo was approved for weapons handling, which is a feature none of the other androids have been given before, and that’s definitely something to look out for. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He’s capable of playing nice, sure, but if the android proves more trouble than he’s worth, then Grimmjow won’t hesitate to get nasty. He is more than capable of solving cases on his own, after all.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>See yall next chapter. I have no clue when it'll come but it'll come. Heuheu. Hope yall enjoyed it.</p>
<p>(Also, please don't repost my art, thank you!)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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